"ANDY'S TOWN HALL" Thursday Nite
Must say it was one of the all-time better ones. Mr.Taylor and Mr. Dillard were very honest and answered questions from the audience very professionally.
Many great questions and ideas were passed along.... including residents volunteering time in the classroom.
We were told that a home with a market value of $100,000 pays (just in Painesville City Schools tax) $1006.00 a year. If this levy passes the schools will collect $1155.45 a year in property taxes. This does not include Lakeland College, Morley Library, and certain city and county taxes; just PCLS.
The total budget for our schools is $44 million dollars a year; coming from $17 million local, 21 million state and $6 million federal dollars. It costs us over $10,000 per year to educate each child.
One citizen asked why the schools used projected figures in order to budget and negotiate. She was referring to the approximately $700,000.00 shortfall that had been rumored to be a misappropriation/mistake a few years ago. It was explained to her that those funds were yanked from the local schools by the state at the last minute....and the state can do that any time they think it's necessary. I've spoken to a few people that are knowledgeable about public budgeting and was surprised to learn that that is the way it is done at all levels. You have to use projected revenue figures in order to do any kind of long-term planning. It isn't the most efficient way, but it is what it is.
I even suggested privatizing the food service as well as the transportation departments. For some of you that know me; I was a Teamster for over 20 years. I have always been pro-union and pro-labor but even as a union member I knew that other locals (as well as other non-union companies) would love to see us price ourselves out of a job. I watched it happen to our largest competitor in the Cleveland area. Where is the competition for the classified as well as the non-classified school employee?
Is there any sacrifice with any of them? The people employed by the school system better get over the idea that their jobs are some kind of sacred cow.
Government employees at every level better heed the warning, people are not going to work everyday just for you to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Get used to it; its brutal out there in the private sector. Don't think you are immune (or should be) to the economy.
After listening tonight to some of the people's views, a new term will have to be learned, "Concessions". I'm afraid the cow has run dry.
posted by terminator1 @ 6:41 PM
30 Comments
30 Comments:
Concession is a word that has no meaning at PCLS - at least with the "higher ups". Whether the levy passes or not, the "important" people at PCLS will STILL have a job - just wait and see.....more "little" people will just keep getting kicked out.
THE GRAVY TRAIN IS ABOUT TO COME TO AN END. WE ARE OUT OF GRAVY!
To 4:28am, Where do you draw the line between "higher ups" and "little" people?
And, just how do you know this is what will happen that you can make such a statement?
If those residents that volunteered time in the classroom follow through with that it will be the greatest thing to happen to PCLS in years. I think many of them will then understand that we have mostly great kids who have a lack of "good" role models.
If this levy passes in November it will be BAU for the system. Your 100% right term where is the sacrifice?
To 9:17,
Administration = higher ups
Support Staff = little people: lunch ladies, custodians, secretaries, teacher aides, bus aides
There have been 2 lay offs - none of the totally displaced people were administration. ALL were support staff. The next lay off will probably be the same. I think the union rules for the lay off of teachers is different than support staff. I'm not sure that they can just "kick" a teacher out in the middle of a school year, but who knows?
How can the schools ask for more with the dismal scores? We can't even sell our house due to the failure of the schools.
Someone who was at the meeting told be that residents would be allowed to sit in on classes. I want to sit and watch Harvey for a day. How do I do it?
What does a food worker make per hour, as well as a bus driver? Why pick on them.
In response to 5:15, I am not sure they will let you sit in on a class just to observe, but if you have an interest in helping, you should be welcomed. I suggest you attend a Board meeting and make your request to volunteer, that way if they want to tell you "No", they have to do it in public and the community can ask the question "why not?".
As I watched the Painesville Council meeting on TV, I heard the City manager say it would table the city street problem until spring. My question is: can she on her own do this? I thought the council decided whether or not to table something.
9:48 Your paying attention. That's a good question. Does the tail wag the dog or should the dog wag the tail? Whom runs our town? The coucil or the manager, who works for who?
She did seen more than a little upset it was tabled.
5:35 Yes they want more community involvement and arrangements can be made to sit in on a class. How watch how the the class preforms. I believe Mr. Dillard will make a presentation to the board to have more community interaction along with helping students. It would be funny if they would refuse free help.
Please explain this, "Even if the levy passes many cuts will still have to be made." What will be cut why ask people for a million dollars and not tell them what will be cut?
The next board of education meeting is October 11th at 7:00 pm.
I assume it's at the BOE.
Questions? Ask.
9:01 Your right about the time and date your wrong on location.
Board Meeting now take place at the Hanlon Media Center at Harvey High. It is a 100% improvement over the BOE building on Jefferson St. My question, even if the people pass the levy what are the "cuts" the school board and administration going to make?
What would happen if Painesville schools ran out of funding? Would the state make us merger into another district? That might be the best thing that could happen to us.
Thought about your "Image" post when I read yesterdays News Herald. There was veronica and the latinos on the front page. Wonder what Betterman will do about that image?
Well that's Veronica's "Summer Finale" No marching when it gets chili.[no pun]
Now in this campagin season where were the candidates that went and stood with her? No city councilpeople, school board members, trustees, commissioners, state representatives, ect? Her movement locally is Kaput. She proves the fact that there must be a high number of illegals living here with her protest.
I'm starting to believe the border patrol is starting to make an impact. Routine traffic stop? No license, insurance, proper I.D.
along with giving a community an easy way to solve the problem.
Remember the only one who made Ms. Dahlberg revelent was Ms. Dahlberg.
Where and who are her allies?
Dahlberg and anyone who has the audacity to march with her just fry me.
They are saying they are human. Well, nobody said they weren't -- they just have to go be human in their own countries.
They are saying that current laws don't do enough to protect their rights. That is because they are here illegally and they HAVE NO RIGHTS. I mean, come ON, people.
They complain that they will have to leave their families behind. Nobody else I know would separate their families by leaving them behind when they come here or leave them behind when they leave here and blame it on someone else. Please. Thank goodness nobody is falling for that line of garbage anymore.
And thanks to Congressman LaTourette's for not siding WITH them and AGAINST our laws. Dahlberg says that THEY are his constituents, too. News flash Ms. Dahlberg: If they are here illegally, they ARE NOT his constituents. They don't even have the RIGHT to be in our STREETS.
She thinks both sides need to look at the problem and really talk about it. How much talking would be going on if we were in Mexico illegally, for example?
One question, though. She says about 25% of Painesville residents are Latino. According to what I see, this is correct. Does anyone now if this IS correct information? We're in a whole lot more trouble than a lot of people think we are with these numbers growing so rapidly in our country.
I think that Ms. Dahlberg needs to go to Mexico and help reform THAT country. There she can hold all the marches that she wants to, and I won't mind one bit. Go make THAT country a good place to live for these people. It's certainly not going to happen with all of them fighting over HERE for rights in a country that is not theirs.
On a higher note, apparantly the laws of our country are finally being upheld in our city. This is very good news.
1:58 What about OUR rights?
This is the only country with such lax rules.
The Catholic Church is now very upset with the fence going up on the Mexican border.....
The fence the Mexican goverment is building to keep the Guatemala's out of Mexico. Their doing what we're doing on our southern border and NO one seems to care.
It's not do as I do. It's do as I say.
To 6:03,
I agree with you. Let it GO. The students will be educated by someone, somewhere. It just may be a good thing! Sometimes you have to let something fail or hit rock bottom - hard to do/watch but it may need to happen. I don't mean to sound unkind, but it's time to be realistic.
Perry-Madison should combine, Painesville City Riverside,Fairport combine. Mentor Kirtland combine. Willoughby-Eastlake with Wickliffe.
Four districts, four superintendents, plenty of savings.
We can't afford all these little serfdoms.
Term, this is 1:58. I agree - what about OUR rights. Thank goodness LaTourette is siding with the lawful residents of the U.S. and not the illegals who are demanding rights in a country that they don't have the right to even BE in. We have the right NOT to have illegals here in our country. We have the right to know who is in our country at all times.
Mexico is building a fence to keep the people from Guatemala out of Mexico?!!! I did not know that. They talk out of both sides of their face all the time. We have to stop considering what Mexico wants, and just do what is right for the U.S. Certainly Mexico doesn't care about us. It's up to the United States to take care of the United States.
I think they should have ICE at any such rally. It's time to save our country. Thank goodness there are signs of that starting to happen.
I just came across an older newspapaer article. Not sure what year it is, but probably 2009. It says that the Painesville school district had 34.7 percent Hispanic, 32.4 white, 19.2 black, 13 multiracial and 0.6 Asian last year (so probably 2008), according to the Ohio Department of Education.
So, I wonder what the break down is THIS year. I don't blame the little kids, but it's a Trojan Horse in the form of children, and the Hispanics and the governments of their respective countries know it. We're the only ones too dumb to stop it.
Has anyone asked the BOE about cutting the extra curricular activities before cutting staff? That to include sports? I brought it up in passing, also asked about Pay to Play around a couple of teachers who said " No Way, that wouldn't happen". "Why?" I pondered.
The answer was because the youth of the community needs to have these after-school-type programs, what else would they do then without it? HuH? By that thinking, my taxpayer dollars are funding sports so that we keep those children off the streets!
How unfair. I would rather see ALL extra programs cut and keep the academic staff whole. Let the parents keep their kids entertained and off the streets.
The main reason PCLS don't have "pay to play" and many of the sports programs is through funding provided by the Harvey High Booster Club.
Their weekly Bingo game for one provides many resources to the schools that are not in the budget.
Call the BOE as to how much this group provides in cash to the system. Its one of Painesville's best kept secrets.
OMG Thank you Mr Term for posting those nice positive comments about the Athletic Booster Club they do a great job. The Band Boosters also purchase uniforms, flags and instuments. There are a lot of good volunteers in our City, and always room for more.
Yes, but who pays the coaches salaries???
I believe that DOES NOT come out of the boosters coffers.
Coaches are paid by the school.
THERE is where more cuts can be made, not the academics.
Do you have any idea what the coaches supplemental pay is? Believe me their not doing it for the money. This is not to say your poimt isn't taken its just that there is alot of waste to cut before you get to this.
Granite from India?
To 5:44....the coachs' salaries are peanuts for what they do. They're a real bargain....and to 3:27...do you really think parents will all of a sudden step up and fill in the void if after-school and sports programs were cut? I'd rather see a modest pay-to-play charge first. Painesville DOES have a great Booster Club...that's one thing this town does do right...Unfortunately a lot of the folks that got and kept it going are getting up there or passing away...like 6:21 said...there is always a need.
For all of you that want to complain about schools and recreation....why don't you think about the fact that Painesville is the only city in Lake County that doesn't have a public pool. If we had a year-round facility that these kids and their families could afford - that would take up the slack that school programs can't fill. That's a levy I WOULD vote for.
The coaches and supplamental salaries are public record. And yes, I know they are small potatoes. Especially compared to administration. But I stand by what I say...Cut the extras before you cut the academics.
I have made comments before about Painesville getting a pool. In the past, no one supported their taxes going up and now no one will surely want increased taxes for that.
Parents need to figure ways to keep their children amused and out of trouble but not on my dime either.
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